I mean REALLY busted up and fell out uncontrollably; jaw hurting; snorting out of your nose; almost peeing your pants; like you were drunk with your best friend-laughed? It felt pretty good, didn't it? Well, that's no accident, as there are actually scientifically-proven benefits to smiling and laughing, both physically, mentally and emotionally, and, of course, socially.

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." -Thich Nhat Hanh

The simple act of forming a smile uses anywhere from 5 all the way up to 53 muscle movements. In fact, it takes far more muscles for you to form a frown than smile – so smiling should be our natural state.

The endorphins your brain secretes when you smile or laugh act to naturally reduce pain levels in the body.

Smiling and laughter also reduces the levels of stress hormones your body produces, making it the best natural remedy for anxiety and stress.

The hormone serotonin that’s release when you smile or laugh works to boost your mood and lift your spirits, acting as a natural combatant against depression, stress, and anxiety.

"Always remember to be happy because you never know who's falling in love with your smile." -Unknown

Laughing naturally lowers blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.You might be surprised to learn that laughter also improves cardiac health, burning about as many calories per hour as if you were walking at a moderate pace.

When you laugh or smile, your body produces more T cells, specialized immune system cells that help boost your immune system and fight sickness.

It also reverses the toxic physical manifestations of negative thoughts and stress, which helps you from getting sick.

How smiling and laughing impacts those around you:

Researchers at the Face Research Laboratory at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland found that subjects found that both men and women rated images of people who smiled more attractive than those who did not.

Human beings can recognize a smile from up to 300 feet away, making it the most recognizable of all facial expressions.

"Every day you spend without a smile is a lost day." -Unknown

A study published in the journal Neuropsychology found that looking at person who is smiling or laughing activates your orbitofrontal cortex, the region in your brain that process sensory rewards. So when you smile or laugh, it will trigger that "sensory reward reflex" in other people who see you, and you'll be perceived as attractive, reliable, and sincere.

You may have heard that smiling or laughing is contagious, but it's been proven scientifically. The cingulate cortex in your brain is the area responsible for unconscious automatic responses, so when someone smiles, others will naturally mimic their expression.

It’s been shown that generally, women smile more than men, but the more they engage in the same work or social roles, the more they smile at equal rates.

"All the statistics in the world can't measure the warmth of a smile." -Chris Hart

The social science of smiling and laughing:

A researcher from UC-San Francisco identified 19 different types of smiles that fit into two categories: polite “social” smiles and sincere “felt” smiles.

Smiling makes you more attractive than wearing makeup! A study by Orbit Complete concluded that 69% of people find women more attractive when they smile compared to when they are wearing makeup.

"Everyone smiles in the same language." – Unknown

Across all cultures, religions, and areas of the word, smiling is the one and only universal sign of happiness, acceptance, and friendship.

It's probably no surprise that we smile less at work than we do at home. In fact, a study found that 30% of subjects smiled five to 20 times a day at work and 28% smiled over 20 times per day at the office.

That could help you move up the career ladder. Smiling more at work actually helps you get promoted, as studies show you’ll be perceived as more attentive, confident, confident, hard working, more of a team player, and a better listener if you smile than if you don’t.

"Laughter is an instant vacation." -Milton Berle

Did you know that babies are born with the ability to smile? Researchers have discovered that it’s not a learned behavior but one that is innate, even at birth.

But the first real conscious smile comes around the four to six-week mark for most babies, as they are awake and in command of their neurological functions enough at that age.

According to Dr. Wayne Dyer, famous positive thinking guru, it is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time – your brain and body cannot fully foster both of those emotions at the same time, so the conscious choice to smile or laugh helps you let go of anger.

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." -Mother Teresa

​1. The entire landmass of the Philippines is made up islands, making it the second-largest archipelago in the world.

In fact, the Philippines has approximately 7,500 islands with only 2,000 of them inhabited and nearly 5,000 still unnamed on global maps.

2. There are about 175 languages spoken in the Philippines, with 171 of them considered “living,” while four tribal dialects have no known living speakers. The country’s official languages are Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English, with Cebuano and Ilocano also popular in some regions.

But when Filipinos interact with tourists and foreigners, it’s easy for them to speak English since it’s the fifth largest English-speaking nation behind the U.S., India, Pakistan, and the U.K.

3. About 11% of the population of the Philippines – more than 11 million people – work overseas. In fact, the Philippines is the top supplier of nurses in the world, with about 25% of all overseas nurses coming from the country. In the United States, Filipinos are the second-largest Asian-American group behind only Chinese.

4. Filipinos are crazy about basketball! You’ll see makeshift hoops erected on every street corner, young men commonly wearing NBA jerseys, and local teams playing in every community hall. Their professional league, The Philippines Basketball Association (PBS) is the second oldest in the world after only the NBA! In fact, a good number of players with U.S. college and NBA experience come to play in the PBA.

5. Filipino’s also love boxing with a passion, and when their most famous native son, Manny Pacquiao, fights, it’s like a national holiday. In fact, Filipinos are so supportive of “PacMan” that every time he has a boxing match, the Philippine National Police report that street crime drops to zero in Metro Manila, and the same is true in most of the country.

6. The Philippines produces and exports more coconuts than any country in the world, shipping off about 19.5 million tons of the fruit (called “buko”) every year.

7. While most of their Southeast Asian neighbors practice Buddhism, the Philippines is the only Asian nation that's predominantly Christian, with 90% practicing that religion (and about 80% of its population, Roman Catholic) because of its Spanish colonial influence.

8. Filipinos are very social, spending as much time as possible with family and friends. But they also stay in touch these days by exchanging a whole lot of text messages. In fact, it’s estimated that Filipinos send about 400 million text messages every day, adding up to about 142 billion texts per year, earning them the designation “the texting capital of the world.” That’s more than the total number of daily text messages sent in the U.S. and Europe combined.

9. One of the most remarkable geological formations in the world, the Taal Volcano consists of an island (Luzon) that contains a lake (Taal Lake) with a smaller island in the lake (Volcano Island) with a lake on that island (Main Crater of Taal Volcano) with another tiny islet (Volcano Island) inside! http://faq.ph/facts-about-the-philippines-that-will-blow-your-mind/

10. The Philippines population crossed the 100-million threshold in 2014, ranking as the 12th most populous country in the world. With an annual growth rate of about 2 percent, it’s also one of the fastest growing countries in the world.

11. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, ranks as the city with the highest population density in the world (and some of the worst traffic congestion!). In fact, Manila spans only 24 square miles but has 1,660,714 residents, giving it a population density of 55,446 people per square mile.

Metro Manila, comprising several other conjoined cities, stands at more than 12,877,000 people, making it one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the world.

12. The Philippines island of Palawan has been named one of the best island in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, and other publications, thanks to it’s jaw-dropping natural beauty. Visitors can explore white sand beaches, swim in lagoons, enjoy island hopping in Coron and El Nido, find some of the best scuba diving in the world, and even traverse the underground river in the capital, Puerto Princesa, a UNESCO world heritage site and the second longest underground river in the world.

13. The country suffered one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history on June 15, 1991, when Mt. Pinatubo erupted only a couple hours from Manila. The blast was so powerful that it shot 10 billion metric tons of magma and 20 million tons of toxic sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, 25 miles high. Mt. Pinatubo’s sent such a big mushroom cloud of ash into the atmosphere that it created a haze of sulfuric acid all around the world for two years, causing global temperatures to drop by 1 degree Fahrenheit!

Tragically, the eruption killed at least 847 people, injured 184, and left more than 1 million people homeless, as well as forcing an American air force base to be abandoned and relocated soon after.

14. Jeepneys are a unique form of transportation that many people in Manila and other places in the Philippines use every day. In fact, jeepneys were born from the thousands of army jeeps that the U.S. military left after World War II. Resourceful Filipinos extended the cabs to accommodate about 18 passengers for hot, bumpy and dusty rides through the streets.

As time went on, drivers adorned the jeepneys in colorful and creative designs to help them stand out, with flashing neon lights, paintings of favorite superheroes, basketball stars, cartoon characters, religious sayings, and just about every other gaudy decoration you can imagine. Still costing only about 8 Pesos (20 cents U.S.), about 50,000 jeepneys run daily in Manila alone, billowing thick clouds of black smoke. They don't have set routes, so passengers just jump on a jeepney going in their direction, pass a coin forward to the driver, and ring a bell when they want to get off.

15. Filipinos LOVE their shopping malls! In fact, they serve as community hubs since they’re clean, safe, and, most importantly, air-conditioned. Aside from the usual stores they also have countless food venues, gyms, grocery stores, banks, health clinics, nightclubs, parks, concert amphitheaters, and even churches inside their malls. In fact, the Philippines is home to three of the ten largest shopping malls in the world, The Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall (third-largest in the world, encompassing 5,451,220 sq ft), SM City North EDSA (fourth largest) and SM Mall of Asia (tenth largest).

16. Even among the countless natural wonders of the Philippines, the island of Camiguin stands out since it’s home to the most volcanoes per square mile of any island on Earth. Only about 14 miles long and 8.5 miles wide, Camiguin holds the distinction as the only island on the planet with more volcanoes (7) than towns (5). It's now a great tourist destination with white-sand beaches and friendly locals, but don't worry – the volcanoes have been dormant since the 1950s.

17. Travelers and vacationers flock to the paradise island of Boracay, known for having one of the best beaches in the world with powder-like white sand. Only 3.98 square miles, the island still receives about 1.5 million visitors from home and abroad every year, making it the most popular destination in the Philippines. In fact, Boracay has celebrated as the best islands in the world in a Condé Nast Traveler reader’s poll, as well as highlighted in Travel + Leisure Magazine, CNN, the New York Times Travel, and others.

18. Typhoons wreak havoc in the Philippines nearly every year, and in 2013, it was Super Typhoon Haiyan (called Yolanda locally) that ripped through the archipelago. Haiyan brought the strongest winds ever recorded at landfall as well as the strongest one-minute sustained wind speed of 195 mph. Sadly, it was also the deadliest typhoon in Philippines history, killing at least 6,100 people and displacing millions according to government reports (although locals estimate the death toll to be closer to 15,000, and a thousand people are still missing).

Coincidentally, I was living on Boracay when Typhoon Haiyan slammed the Philippines, and you can watch my home video of it here.

19. Politeness is an art form in the Philippines. Most foreigners will be referred to as “sir” and “mam” no matter their age. You’ll see younger people refer to the women and men a little bit older as “ates” and “kuyas” (aunt and uncle, respectively).

Filipinos respect and cherish their elders, and that shows in many ways in everyday life. For instance, seniors are addressed as “po” after please, thank you, and other exchanges, with the younger person taking the elder's hand and touching it to their forehead in a charming display of reverence called “mano.”

Elderly, disabled, and pregnant women even have their own line at banks, restaurants and taxi queues, allowing them to bypass the crowd.

However, their politeness can go a little too far, as you’ll rarely hear a Filipino come out with a direct “no” answer when you ask them a question, a trait that can create many challenging and hilarious situations for the foreigner!

20. Filipinos are warm, happy, and have a great sense of humor! In fact, the Philippines is one of the happiest countries in the world, ranking near the top on Gallup’s index. Filipinos also have an uproarious sense of humor, as joking, lighthearted banter, and even singing makes every day in their presence a true blessing. As some Filipino friends have pointed out to me, it’s an inherent trait that helps them cope with such poverty, hardship, and natural disasters. No matter the reason, life in the Philippines is all about smiling, laughing and enjoying every moment with those around you!

These are just a small portion of facts about the Philippines, which I find one of the most remarkable countries on earth! Follow this blog or email me to learn more!

Companies big and small are focusing on their business plan for 2017, strategizing which social media and online marketing tactics will make it their most profitable year yet. While some things haven’t changed at all since 2016 in the world of digital marketing, there are many innovations and trends that you should be aware of.

Why are these online marketing tactics so critical for companies to implement?

The sheer scope of the internet is now almost unimaginable, with 3.5 billion searches per day on Google, 1.71 billion Facebook users posting 1 billion pieces of content daily, 500 million Instagram users, more than 1 billion each on Youtube and WhatsApp, and 63.4 million new posts on WordPress blogs each month.

How can you possibly be heard above all of that noise?

The good news is that with a smart, focused digital marketing campaign, you can build your brand exponentially, attract more loyal customers, and stand out above all of those companies that are floundering and falling short with their online marketing (and there are a lot of them!)

I won’t burden you about the complex changes to Google and other search engines,like the introduction of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), mobile-first indexing, voice search and Google’s Penguin 4.0 algorithm update, or delve into the blossoming of chatbots or virtual and augmented reality in 2017. Instead, I’ll focus on the practical cornerstones of your digital marketing. Without mastering those first, you don’t have the foundation you need to reach any higher.

Here are my 17 blogging, social media, and online marketing recommendations for 2017.

1. Double (and triple) down on videoIf you think video formats exploded online in 2016, wait until you see what’s in store in 2017! In fact, growing with video is the biggest factor for social media platforms that thrive (Instagram, Snap, Facebook) and those that are faltering (Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn.) Across the board, videos see higher audience engagement than other formats of content. While big brands are jumping into native video marketing with relish in 2017, this is the only place small businesses and individuals can compete on equal footing, with user-generated videos getting 10x more engagement on YouTube than videos posted by major brands!

2. Paid ads are the new normSorry to tell you, but sharing your company’s content on social media without paying for reach is like throwing a coin in a fountain and expecting your wish to come true. That’s because social networks have decided to monetize through paid ads and boost for reach. With Facebook, for example, that means only 2%-15% of your audience will see your posts organically! The good news is that you don’t need a big budget to improve your reach exponentially if you target your campaign and manage it correctly.

“You have to run Facebook ads, and you have to do it now.” –Gary Vaynerchuk

3. Content creation the #1 SEO tacticGone are the halcyon days where you could place a few keywords and throw a little bit of money into SEO and see your company rise to the first page of Google. These days, the one true way to ensure search engine placement is through content creation, augmented with keyword and SEO strategies. In fact, 72% of digital marketers now say that content creation is their most effective SEO tactic. Therefore, blogging, Q & A's, profiles, interviews, fact sheets, reports, white papers, custom memes, images, graphics and infographics will be more important than ever in 2017.

4. Market segmentation and increased personalizationThe world wide web is far too enormous and competitive for you to expect a consumer to just Google your product or service and see your name pop up. In 2017, it’s essential that you get laser focused with market segmentation, as well as personalizing your messages to specific demographics (and even individuals!) if you really want to connect and make an impact.

5. Snap, Instagram, Pinterest keep risingInstagram will keep exploding in popularity in 2017, with the highest levels of engagement across all social media platforms behind only Facebook. While it still lags in marketing ROI, that could change drastically with the introduction of Instagram Shopping in 2017.

Meanwhile, Snap will continue its role as social media upstart with more ephemeral innovations expected, and Pinterest still boasts the highest level of consumer behavior influence among all social media, with 55% of users buying something off the platform.

6. Disappearing contentSpeaking of disappearing content, Snap (formerly SnapChat) will keep blazing a new trail in 2017 when it comes to expiring content. In fact, Instagram, Whatsapp, and Facebook have all imitated Snap with some features that are temporary, or ephemeral. Even if you're not particularly active on Snap, companies should experiment with some disappearing or expiring content to create urgency and keep an audience engaged.

7. Twitter, Google + downIt’s sad – and somewhat surprising - to see, but Twitter is looking more like a lovable dinosaur, including a 20% plunge in 2016 and users abandoning the social media pioneer for more dynamic platforms. Likewise, Google+ is as dead as disco, and maybe still alive for intrinsic SEO benefits and accompanying services like Google Docs, YouTube, etc. Many digital marketers will be jumping ship from these two in 2017 and investing their time and money elsewhere.

8. Guest bloggingOne of the hottest ways to gain exposure is guest blogging, or offering content to someone else for them to post on their own blog or website. This can be a blog but also an article, Q&A, infographic, video, interview, report, guide or chapter from your book. When you guest blog, you're exposing your content (and your name and contact info!) to a brand new audience, who are introduced to you as a trusted and credible authority in your field. The great part is that it's a win-win for whoever is hosting your guest blog, because they get a new audience, more content, and back links, as well.

9. Images, infographics, and visual content are vitalJust how critical are images and visual content to your online marketing? Numerous studies prove that our brains prefer images over text when it comes to taking in, comprehending, and retaining information. Called "Pictorial Superiority Effect," this neuroscience proves that visual input is far more likely to be recognized and recalled. In fact, participants in research studies remembered only about 10% of the information 72 hours later when it was given to them audibly (spoken), but had astounding 65% retention levels when the information was presented with an image, too.

10. Mobile officially takes over2016 was the year when mobile traffic usurped desktop traffic for internet use. In fact, mobile web and app use won't merely uptick in 2017, but start to distance itself – especially with the roll-out of Google's new Mobile-first indexing. In fact, almost 80% of time spent on social media is now on mobile devices, and we're expected to have 6.1 billion additional smartphone users by 2020. Smart brands will make sure they're set up and optimized for mobile use first and web second, as well as explore the possibility of a mobile app if it's a good fit.

11. Social media expands with real time, live streaming, and 360 degree2016 was the year that we saw social media take a leap forward in terms of technology that enriches user experience. Facebook started with live streaming for celebrities (and now, every person who wants to show their cat live). Twitter did the same with its Periscope, and YouTube is expected to do the same in 2017.

Whether you love it or hate it, get used to real time and live streaming content, as it’s going to change the face of social media interaction, and your business would be wise to keep up –BUT only with content and information that's valuable to the consumer.

360° video and photos will make a big jump in 2017, too, with businesses now able to shoot 360° views of their office, hotel, restaurant, home for sale, etc. to display to potential patrons.

12. Creativity and authenticity are essential for effective marketingTo be heard in a very loud room, companies (and their digital marketers) need to get creative, posting imaginative, original, and authentic content. Consumers don't want perfect; they want real, and that means telling genuine stories and sharing customer problems, solutions, and experiences online.

13. It’s all about user experienceUser experience, or “UX” as it’s known in the business, should be your focus in 2017 even over highlighting your company’s story, products or solutions. That also means you can have fun to celebrate that experience with them, offering giveaways, polls, quizzes and other shared, interactive content.

14. Build communities (and keep growing that subscriber list)Speaking of UX, it's more important than ever to build your audience online but do so based on user characteristics, needs and interests, not just because you think they should be following your company. That way, you can build communities (or “Tribes” as Seth Godin calls them). While the subscriber email list may seem outdated, it’s actually more relevant than ever, allowing companies to take the next step in the customer relationship by reaching them directly with valuable content aside from social media.

15. Social selling becomes more prevalentIn the past, consumers typically became aware of products and services via social media, and then migrated to the company’s website (or a third-party seller’s website) to purchase them online. But in 2017, companies will focus on selling directly through their social media sites, made possible by innovations with Facebook, Instagram selling, and others. Currently, just 12% of consumers purchase something from Facebook or Instagram (while 55% of Pinterest users do!) but look for those numbers to skyrocket this year.

16. Native advertising is the best new organic marketing toolIt’s not enough to just have an A-B conversation with your potential consumer base online anymore, so smart companies are utilizing employee advocates and brand ambassadors to help spread the world. Called “native advertising,” the use of social media brand ambassadors and employees to help spread the word has risen 191% in the last three years. Studies show that companies that focus on unleashing social influencers and brand evangelists, whether on the payroll or not, will see a 7x return on marketing costs.

17. Collaboration is paramount in 2017This year, it’s not enough to create great blogs, engaging images, and entertaining videos and share them online. While all of that is necessary, the distribution channel of where you share them might be just as important as what you create. Collaboration with referral partners, networking, guest blogging and content sharing will help you reach an exponentially larger audience in 2017, gaining new customer influence and boosting sales like never before!

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Contact meif you’d like more information on any of these recommendations or how your company can implement a smart, focused online marketing plan in 2017!

Would you like to see my report on social media, blogging, and digital marketing from 2016? Click hereto request it for free.

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Norm Schriever

Norm Schriever is a best-selling author, expat, cultural mad scientist, and enemy of the comfort zone. He travels the globe, telling the stories of the people he finds, and hopes to make the world a little bit better place with his words.

Norm is a professional blogger, digital marketer for smart brands around the world, and writes for the Huffington Post, Hotels.com, and others.